Avondale/OU Lab will open up seats to students from other districts

Avondale Schools Superintendent George Heitsch speaks with students in Serena Stock's 1st grade class at Auburn Elementary. The Avondale School District is teaming up with Oakland University to give students hands on exprience to be teachers. (The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON)

The new Avondale Oakland University Lab School that's scheduled to start up at Auburn Elementary School in the fall will open up seats not taken by its Avondale students to some from other districts.

Superintendent George Heitsch announced this week that the district is expanding its Schools of Choice openings in Avondale's four elementary schools, including at the Avondale/OU lab school.

Heitsch expects the creation of the new lab school will create interest in all the district's schools "...because it is reflective of our creative and nimble approach to new teaching and learning methods and opportunities.

"Avondale is a highly collaborative district where teachers, staff and families work together to provide the best education possible to our students."

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The Avondale Board of Education approved 84 seats for Schools of Choice enrollment for kindergarten through third grade for the 2013-14 school year, which is almost 70 more students from other districts than accepted in the 2012-2013 school year.

This year, the district's School of Choice program opened only 15 seats and all were for kindergarten students, said Barbara Fornasiero, spokeswoman for Avondale schools.

The newly opened classroom seats will be at Auburn Elementary and R. Grant Graham Elementary in Auburn Hills, Deerfield Elementary in Rochester Hills, and Woodland Elementary in Troy.

The number of spaces available for Schools of Choice students in each elementary building will be determined by the Avondale School District.

Applications must be in by May 24, Fornasiero said in a news release.

If the number of applicants exceeds the number of spaces available, a lottery will be held on Monday, June 3 and applicants will notified of their status by mail June 10. Names not drawn will be kept on a waiting list.

The Avondale/OU lab school to be opened in September will include three sections each of kindergarten through fifth grade. It will be organized as a clinical teaching model for OU students who plan to be teachers. Best practices for student learning, student-teacher education, and teacher-to-teacher mentoring will be implemented.

Heitsch said that Avondale was selected for the partnership with OU for several reasons, including its location, a history of collaboration with OU, student teacher training, and programs unique to the Avondale district.

Fornasiero said Avondale schools focuses on student leadership and success in academics, the arts and athletics.